Paper container or bottle



Oct. 17, 1933. o. J. WEEKS 1,931,047

PAPER CONTAINER OR BOTTLE Filed April 21, 1932 Patented Oct. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The present invention relates to paper containers generally used for containing liquids, and has for an object to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction and low in cost of manufacture.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a bottle-shaped paper container, which may be used in lieu of standard glass bottles, and is particularly adapted to take the place of the present more expensive glass milk bottles. My invention further comprehends a suitable construction of the receptacle which may be filled and closed at its open end with the usual cap on the same filling and capping machines now employed at milk delivering stations.

My invention thus makes possible the delivery of milk in a sanitary form of container that need not be subsequently collected and thereafter cleaned for further use, but one which may be discarded when its contents have been used.

The invention will be understood with the aid of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2:c2m of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental cross-sectional View showing the open neck or top edge of the container compressed over the disc cover or closing cap; Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line Ir-4x of Fig. 1; Figs. 5 and 6 are views in elevation of the paper tube prior to and after being pleated into the desired shape; Fig. 7 is a detail view of the bottom flanked closure; and Figs. 8 and 9 are views in elevation of the annular collar or tubular reinforcing means prior to and after being notched at a portion thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the container is formed from a paper sheet or blank of suitable thickness shaped to form a tube 1 with the longitudinal edges thereof in overlapped relation as shown at 2 (Fig. 5). These overlapped edges may be secured together by glue or by other suitable means, such as metal stitching, or they may be both glued and stitched. A closure is fitted to the lower end of the tube 1 to form a bottom, 50 and comprises a paper disc 4 having a peripheral flange 5 which, when the disc is inserted into the tube 1, extends outwardwith its edge substantially flush with the lower edge of the tube 1.

An important feature of the invention-comprises shaping the tube 1 into the form of a bottle. This is accomplished by providing a suitable number of plaits 6 in the portion of the cylinder which is to comprise the neck of the bottle. The plaits may be formed after the cylinder is formed from a flat sheet, and, to facilitate this operation, the fiat sheet may be scored preliminarily; however, it will be understood that if desired the scoring may be done after the tube is formed and as part of the folding operation. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, these plaits are formed so that the container is caused to taper in a substantially continuous curve or without abrupt ends from a'given point intermediate its end to its upper extremity. Thus, the plaits 6 vary or increase continuously in width from their lower toward their upper ends, and are of maximum width at the upper edge portion of the tube. They are non-rectilinear, but curve continuously, thereby causing the plaited tube 1 to assume substantially the shape of a standard milk bottle. In the illustration I have shown plaits 6 extending spirally in the material of the tubular body, but it will be understood that they may extend axially of the body. Various types of plaits may be utilized. I have shown single plaits in the drawing, but the material may be folded double to form box plaits if desired. The adjacent inner surfaces of the plait folds may be glued together or otherwise secured.

However, the spiral plaits 6 are my preferred construction, as they result in a plaited tube tapering, or curving inwardly toward its upper portion of reduced diameter, with a much greater degree of continuity, (i. e. much more closely conforming with the curved appearance of a standard glass bottle. One reason for this is that the material of the tube 1 is subjected, during the spiral plaiting operation, to much less distortion or crimpling, and another reason is that whatever distortiondoes take place, it is caused to extend over an extended area by reason of the increased length of spiral plaits.

Another feature of the invention consists in the reinforcing means which I provide at the upper part or neck portion of the bottle shaped tube 1. This reinforcement, as will be understood, not only serves to firmly hold the plaits in flattened position at their upper end portions, but also facilitates the forming of the usual inner ridge or seating ledge for the usual paper disc or closure 7 which is applied after the container is filled. As shown in Fig. 8, I utilize a heavy paper or cardboard tube 9 of suitable length and of an inner diameter adapting it to be snugly fitted over the upper edge or plaited neck portion of the tube 1. I have found that a double thickness tube of the well-known spirally wound type is most satisfactory for the'purpose in view. A substantial portion of this tube 9 is provided with V-shaped notches 10 (Fig. 9) cut at suitable intervals into oneof its edges, which facilitates folding inwardly the tongues 12 and shaping them snugly against the inner surface of said neck.

It now becomes apparent that the tube 9 provides a reinforcing annular collar U-shaped in cross-section, between the two walls of which the plaits 6 are thus firmly held. This collar may be glued to the plaited tube 1 or otherwise secured. The structure thus formed is next treated to provide at its open end a circular inner seat or ridge 13 to receive the heavy paper closure 7. This shoulder 13 may be conveniently molded into the desired shape by pressure between suitable dies.

It should be particularly noted that the tube 9 is so positioned on the plaited tube 1, that, upon folding of the tongues 12 inwardly, the upper edge 14 of the annular reinforcement thus formed, extends a certain distance above the upper edge 15 of the plaited tube. This construction greatly facilitates the formation of the circular ledge 13, by reason of the inner bulging of the material created by the upper clamped portion of the plaited tube 1. In other words, the inner portion of the tube 9, after assembly and prior to pressure by dies, is by necessity of reduced diameter where it overlaps the plaited tube 1, thus providing a natural seating ledge slightly above the upper edge 15 of the plaited tube 1. The circular ridge 13 is formed by dies at this natural seating ledge, while the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of the collar 9 at its upper portions, which extend above the plaits 6, permit a true circular ridge to be easily and accurately formed. If desired, after the contents are introduced into the container, its upper edge may be peened down or pressed inwardly over the cap 7, as shown in Fig. 3. The spirally wound tube 9 of which the reinforcing collar is made, because of its double thickness, provides rigidity to the finished article. Further, because of its true cylindrical surfaces, the operation of forming the inner circular ledge may be accurately performed, while its seamless construction insures against leakage of liquid through the, reinforcement.

Upon completion of the container described, it is subjected to a bath by immersion in melted paraffin to render it impervious to liquid, the paraffin permeating the fiber of the paper and entering the spaces between the overlapping parts and serving to seal them together.

It is understood that various modifications of -the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing and described herein are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. As a new article of manufacture, a receptacle comprising a paper tube closed at one end and having a plurality of symmetrically arranged plaits to provide it with an open end portion of reduced diameter, said plates substantially continuously increasing in width and extending spirally from a plane intermediate the ends of the tube toward said open end portion to cause the plaited tube to curve inwardly with substantial continuity from its portion of larger diameter to said open end portion.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a receptacle comprising a paper tubular body closed at one end and formed with a plurality of plaits to cause it to be progressively reduced in diameter toward its open end, and a paper reinforcing ring at the open end of said body having an outer portion surrounding the outer surface of said body and an inner portion disposed adjacent the inner surface of said body, said inner portion being notched to permit it to be folded inwardly, said inner and outer portions holding said plaits and providing inner and outer substantially cylindrical surfaces at the open end of said body.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a receptacle comprising a paper tube closed at one end and formed with a plurality of plaits to provide it with an open end portion of reduced diameter, and a paper reinforcing ring having inner and outer portions covering the inner and outer surfaces of said tube at its open end portion, said ring extending beyond the-open end edge of said tube and having its inner portion beyond said open end edge forced outwardly to provide an inner circular ledge for seating a closure disc thereon.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a receptacle comprising a paper tubular body closed at one end and formed with a plurality of plaits to cause it to be progressively reduced in diameter toward its open end, and a paper reinforcing ring at the open end of said body having an outer portion surrounding the outer surface of said body and an inner portion disposed adjacent the inner surface of said body, said inner portion being notched to permit it to be folded inwardly, said inner and outer portions holding said plaits and providing inner and outer substantially cylindrical surfaces at the open end of said body, said ring being made of a double thickness spirally wound tube.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a receptacle comprising a paper tube closed at one end and formed with a plurality of plaits to provide it with an open end portion of reduced diameter, and a paper reinforcing ring having inner and outer portions covering the inner and outer surfaces of said tube at its open end port-ion, said ring extending beyond the open end edge of said tube and having its inner portion beyond said open end edge forced outwardly to provide an inner circular ledge for seating a closure disc thereon, each one of said paper reinforcing portions being made of a double thickness spirally wound tube.

OSCAR JOHN WEEKS. 

